Letter sent by 44 US senators urges president to reconsider talks
with Islamic Republic unless it agree to immediately shut down
nuclear facility, freeze uranium enrichment

WASHINGTON Ė Forty four US Senators, both Republican and Democratic,
sent a letter to President Obama Friday, urging him to reconsider
talks with Iran unless it agrees to take immediate steps to curb its
uranium enrichment activity.

"Steps it must take immediately are shutting down of the Fordow
facility, freezing enrichment above five percent, and shipping all
uranium enriched above five percent out of the country," the senators
wrote in the letter, which was initiated by Senators Robert Menendez
(D-N.J.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).

Referring to a third round of talks between Iran and the 5+1,
scheduled for Moscow on Monday, the senators wrote: "Were Iran to
agree to and verifiably implement these steps, this would demonstrate
a level of commitment by Iran to the process and could justify
continued discussions beyond the meeting in Moscow.

"On the other hand, if the sessions in Moscow produce no substantive
agreement, we urge you to reevaluate the utility of further talks at
this time and instead focus on significantly increasing the pressure
on the Iranian government through sanctions and making clear that a
credible military option exist," they wrote, adding that "as you have
rightly noted, ´the window for diplomacy is closing.´ Iranís leaders
must realize that you mean precisely that."

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that world
powers will outline to Iran a "very clear path" to resolve the
impasse over its suspect nuclear program at talks in Moscow.

During a joint appearance with President Shimon Peres at the Saban
Center for Middle East Policy in Washington on Tuesday, Clinton
said "there is a unified position being presented by the P5+1 that
gives Iran, if it is interested in taking a diplomatic way out, a
very clear path that would be verifiable and would be linked to
action for action.